Disclaimer: Not mine and you know the rest of the song.
A/N: Thanks a bunch for your reviews again, brings a smile to my face each time.This is a short one. The next one will explain a bit better. Hopefully you won't have to wait too long before this story comes to an end.

4. A Missing Father

Missing Person Unit, FBI, 12:12PM

"Martin, Danny!" called Jack as they entered the bullpen.
Samantha went beside Vivian who was standing, studying the white board.
Both men appeared in a matter of second, followed closely by Celia Mykes.
"All right" said Jack standing in the middle of his agents "Tim Mykes was last seen near the subway tracks, a block away from the bank."
All were grabbing their coats. "Danny and Martin you'll go to the nearest station and go up the tracks, be careful there's enough traffic down there to match the rush hour.
Viv, you'll be waiting for the ambo. And Sam you're coming down where Sammy found Tim." They all set to the journey. Frank and Celia followed closely.
Jack spun round "Sorry," he took his more delicate but firm tone "but you two stay here."
"Like hell we do!" spat Frank, "We're going with you."
Jack was about to reply something nasty when Celia cut in "He's our son Jack".
He wasn't sure it was Frank's anger or the plead in Celia's eyes but for the second time in less than an hour he let civilians take part in his investigation.

On the subway tracks, NYC, 12:31PM

Danny made a sign to Martin when the train had just rushed past him.
"Next time you go first" he said disapprovingly.
"Next time Jack's coming down here, boss or not." Martin replied a little annoyed.
"Well you tell him!" said Danny, who wasn't looking forward to that day.
"Coward" breathed Martin as another train whistled by.

"You're waiting there with Agent Johnson" Jack told Tim's parents before going down to where Tim was supposed to be.
There were trash all over the place, Samantha followed Jack close enough to see the anticipation growing.
"Jack," she called.
He grunted, good he'd heard her.
"Why did you let Holloway and Celia come?" she asked.
Jack wasn't the sort of man to discuss his decision with his subordinates but Samantha definitely had a favour treatment on that subject.
"I don't know, Sam," he admitted.
"Then it's going way to deep for you I think." He turned around.
"What?" he asked, unsure.
"Well if I had been in your shoes you would have taken me off the case in a flash, that's all."
They resumed their descent.
"Maybe" he said, "but you're not, so let's not start. Anyway I can see him."

Martin and Danny arrived on the scene just as the paramedics were going downhill toward Tim's body.
"He's just knocked off" called Sam.
"So what do you reckon?" Martin asked Jack who was bending over Tim.
"He's not been here long. Probably looking for a shelter during the night. He must have fallen down from the top."
The paramedics pushed the team away from the body and gently laid him onto the stretcher.

Celia jumped when she saw her son unconscious. Frank stared and stared relentlessly wondering if they looked alike. Then Celia fell against his chest, sobbing all the way. At that moment he swore to never let down this family again and gently led her in the ambulance.
"He'll be right" said one the medics while they were making their way to the hospital.

Jack and Samantha were in the car. Jack was pondering over several things he meant to tell her when she snapped him out of his thoughts.
"I'm sorry about what I said about this case being too personal, Jack... I realise I didn't have any right to say that. But it's been a rough case for me too."
"Don't worry Sam, we just..." he trailed off. She looked at him intently.

Oh Gosh the moment was as good as any and he needed to let it out anyway. He parked the car in a space he'd just noticed. Then turning to her he took her hand in his. "There was a time, all this was so much easier..." he looked right into her eyes. She looked stunned.
"What is he thinking?" she thought.
"I mean, you wouldn't have got the wrong impression on the first day, I wouldn't have said that we had to get over it... I wouldn't have said that... that you weren't in my shoes... I..."
All thoughts were going through her mind "What does that mean? Where is this going?" she searched his eyes frantically, there was something there, some kindness she hadn't seen in ages and that scared her more than she was willing to admit.
"I'm sorry if you got the impression I was angry at you or that I... I didn't.." he sighed "didn't have any feelings for you."
Now she was panicking... what was all that about?
"I always have" he admitted letting go of her hand and turning back to the windshield.
"Jack?" he was still looking ahead, deep in thought, maybe he regretted it already.
"Jack?" her voice softened "Why?" he finally looked at her again "Why are you telling me this now?"
"This case's got me thinking. Tim's a good friend and for a couple of days I almost thought I'd lost him. I can't lose you..."
"But you don't own me... there's nothing to lose."
"Yes there is, Sam, I love you, and that's what I've got to lose." Her jaw slightly dropped at his statement. "But take your time... you know I can't claim you like you're mine or anything. I mean, I can't deny that I wished and that I might have thought that but... Celia didn't own Tim, even if she loved him with all her heart. Think about it, but if you still want to give it a go, I'm in. I'm sorry you suffered because of me and I really want to make up for it..." he couldn't believe he had let it out in one go. To say the truth she couldn't either.
"I will" she finally said and they started off again.

Room 329 in a hospital, NYC, 4:15PM

Tim was slowly waking up. At first he didn't know where he was, he heard voices, his heartbeat and what sounded like the alarm of his clock.
For a minute he figured he was in his room and his Mother was frantically trying to wake him up.
He closed his eyes again, trying to remember what he had done yesterday night to be in such a pain. Then the sound of roaring train forced him to open them again. The blur he was in was slowly lifting and it occurred to him that he wasn't in his room and that it certainly wasn't his alarm clock going off. It sounded more like... Like the machines in the hospitals the ones that beep along with your heartbeat. The ones Hollywood producers always put in their movies. When the guy dies it's just one long beep.
He panicked, suddenly realising he was indeed in a hospital. Then looking down he saw a nurse bending over to adjust his perfusion.
By his side he saw his mother with tears in her eyes, he tried to move his hand over to her face but he didn't got far. His muscles weren't responding well. She smiled. Slowly everything fell back in place.
He was still glancing across the room when he spotted a man. He didn't remember him. His skin was tanned and Tim thought that he was probably from California or somewhere down South.
That's when he understood.
"Dad?"

Frank couldn't help but smile. The voice was a little louder than a whisper but he definitely recognised it. He felt like he'd just been woken from the worse nightmare of his whole life.
He was a bit surprised, Tim never called him Dad on the phone. They still stuck with Frank and Tim. Maybe because of the distance, maybe because neither of them could really believe they were talking to each other.

He remembered his phone call to Rachel. She'd ask him how he felt about it. He hadn't said much. Now he knew what he should have told her.
He should have told her that he was proud. Proud of his son. Proud to finally be the one who came to him and not the contrary. Proud to see he had a family somewhere.

Missing Person Unit, FBI, 11:21AM, the next day

Samantha walked up to Jack's office, a woman on a mission. She hadn't sleep. She couldn't help but turn his words around in her head. Jesus he still had that effect on her. She still wasn't sure what to do about it and thought he probably regretted them. She couldn't guess he was under permanent stress since their little talk.

"Samantha!" Danny called her
She turned around.
"Tim's here" he smiled.
As much as any of the team didn't know Tim they had still come to appreciate him. It wasn't often they'd get to do that but Tim was their boss' friend and thus they treated him with utmost respect. And considering his position, what he went through, yes they had to admit they had come to somehow appreciate him in some sort of way even if they had never met him.
Danny stepped to the side and a strong kid walked toward her. His resemblance with the Australian cop was indeed flagrant and she couldn't help but smile. Though she knew they would have to interrogate him. Friend or not, he had to justify an FBI investigation.

He presented a hand "Hi, I'm Tim Mykes. My parents told me Agent Malone wanted to talk to me as soon as I was discharged."
She shook it "Samantha Spade, Jack's in his office. Hang on a bit."
She knocked on the glass and opened it "Jack?"
He looked up. He had his glasses on. The words 'Paperwork : do not disturb' written all over his face.
"Tim Mykes's here"
He got up and motioned for her to let him in. She turned to Tim "And our favourite boss will see you know."
Jack raised his eyebrows at that. Samantha was definitely in a good mood despite the lack of sleep.
Danny joined her as Tim walked in. Both were smiling when they saw Jack pull Tim in a warm embrace.
"Makes you wish you had a life" Danny said then turned to go.
"What!" she went after him.


TBC